Date published: 1922-01-01
Source:
Early History of the Creek Indians and Their Neighbors (ID121)Author: Swanton, John (ID85)
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Race described: Indian
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Content id: 5029
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1761-01-01 - 1761-12-31
What became of the Osochi tribe
In the assignment to the traders, July 3, 1761, we find "The Point Towns called Ouschetaws [Osochi], Chehaws and Oakmulgees," given to George Mackay and James Hewitt along with the Hitchiti town.5 Bartram spells the name "Hooseche," and says that they spoke the Muskogee tongue, but this is probably an error even for his time.8 In 1797 their trader was Samuel Palmer.7
Hawkins, in 1799, has the following to say about them:
"Oose-oo-che; is about two miles below Uehee, on the right bank of Chat-to-ho-chee; they formerly lived on Flint river, and settling here, they built a hot house in 1794; they cultivate with their neighbors, the Che-au-haus, below them, the land in the point."8 The statement regarding their origin tends to tie them a little more definitely to the tribe mentioned in the Spanish map.
The census of 1832 gives two settlements as occupied by this tribe, which it spells "Oswichee," one on Chattahoochee River and one "on the waters of Opillike Hatchee (Opile'ki ha'tci)."
In 1804 Hawkins condemns the Osochi for a reactionary outbreak which occurred there when "we were told they would adhere to old times, they preferred the old bow and arrow to the gun."10
After their removal west of the Mississippi the Osochi were settled on the north side of the Arkansas some distance above the present city of Muskogee.
Later a part of them moved over close to Council Hill to be near the Hitchiti and also, according to another authority, on account of the Green Peach war. An old man belonging to this group told me that his grandmother could speak Hitchiti, and he believed that in the past more spoke Hitchiti than Creek. This is also indicated by the close association of the Osochi and Chiaha in early days. The two together settled a town known as Hotalgihuyana.1 Their familiarity with Hitchiti may have been merely a natural result of long association with Chiaha and Apalachicola Indians. No remembrance of any language other than Hitchiti and Muskogee is preserved among them.
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